August 30, 2015

How to Track Changes in Microsoft Word 2003

Step 1:
Open your document using Microsoft Word. If you do not see the Accept or Reject Changes… button on your toolbar, follow the next 7 steps.

Step1

Step 2:
Click on the View menu, point to Toolbars, and then click Reviewing.

Step2

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Step 3:
Notice that the Reviewing toolbar appears. In this picture, it is circled in blue. In this example, the Track Changes icon is illuminated trackchanges_editing_on. You will need to turn this feature off before you proceed. If you do not turn this feature off, all of the revisions that you make to your document will be tracked on the right-hand side of the document.

Step3

Step 4:
Once you click on the Track Changes button, the icon is no longer illuminated trackchanges_editing_off.

Step4

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Step 5:
Click on the drop-down arrow drop_down_arrow, next to the Reviewing Pane icon reviewing_page (circled in red in the image below). Point your cursor to Reviewing, and turn on the Accept or Reject Changes… feature. In this example, it is circled in blue.

Step5

Step 6:
Notice that the Accept or Reject Changes… button, circled in blue, is now present.

Step6

Step 7:
Click on the new button to open the Accept or Reject Changes… reviewing pane.

Step7

*Tips:
Click on Accept; Microsoft Word will accept the proposed change. If the change was a deletion, Word removes the text and the revision marks. Also, Word removes the callout and the change information from the Reviewing Pane. If the change was an addition, Word adds the text and removes the revision marks. Word also removes the change information from the Reviewing Pane.

Click on Reject; Word will reject the proposed change. Word restores your text to the way it was before the insertion or deletion and removes the callout. Word also removes the change information from the Reviewing Pane.

Clicking on Accept All will cause Word to accept all proposed changes. You will still need to remove the editor comments individually.

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